The Duffel Blog Strikes Again

“There’s no way Airman Spencer rates an actual Legion d’Honneur,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody. “We’ll probably just submit it as a Letter of Appreciation in his record book. It’s not like it will get him any points for promotion anyway.”

Shortly after Cody’s remarks, it was announced Airman Spencer would be nominated for the Air Force’s high non-combat award for being wounded while engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a fully armed enemy....

Hokanson further pointed out that Skarlatos hadn’t re-certified on the online Level 1 Antiterrorism Awareness module so he couldn’t possibly rate a medal for actually fighting terrorism.

11 comments:

You know, one of the first thoughts in my head when the French announced they were awarding these people was that this would never happen in the US - it would perhaps be announced ten years later, four if they hurried.

Which is deeply, deeply pathetic, when you think about it. One purpose of awarding people for bravery is to encourage others to emulate them, and that's very much weakened if it's delayed. Particularly when the act of valor in question has received a lot of media coverage and is well known.

A lot of things are delayed in this country (example: news articles about a promising new treatment, which "the FDA may allow for Americans in as little as ten years, under new 'fast track' procedures!"). It drags us down in all ways.

As usual, Duffelblog gets the tone so right that I have to keep reminding myself it's a spoof, especially that business about the failure to complete the Level 1 recertification.

In addition to the medal, if there aren't any princesses around to award to them, I hope some wealth eccentric will present them with houses or something. It would be nice if they were invited to the White House, but I'm not holding my breath.

Which is deeply, deeply pathetic, when you think about it. One purpose of awarding people for bravery is to encourage others to emulate them, and that's very much weakened if it's delayed.

It also helps in dealing with PTSD, if the people involved know that whatever they had to do was sanctioned by the powers that be, society at large.

Spitting on people, stripping them of the excuse that they were protecting their society, tends to create guilty, stress, depression. De constructing the psychological stability of a warrior or soldier, as intended by Leftist R/D.

Raven, perhaps not, but they were widely and immediately lauded as the heroes they were.Apparently they were also awarded the congressional gold medal at some point. If take legend status over something from congress any day.

I didn't look very hard, but I checked the Wiki entry. There was the memorial, of course, and one of the flight attendants got a statue in her home town. Newark Airport is now something like Newark Liberty Airport in their honor. I didn't find anything about individual medals.

This is the Congressional record of the award. It's part of an act designating Congressional Gold Medals to honor those who perished on 9/11. Flight 93 (as a group, not as individuals- you are correct) are specifically recognized for their heroism, as opposed to the other two sites which seem to only recognize victimization... Congress, can't even honor heroes properly.